Fast pyrolysis pathway for production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from demolition wood: Experimental and process simulation approach

The escalating adverse climate impacts of aviation industry have attracted the attention of research towards the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for mitigating the climate change. This study aims to investigate the demolition wood as a potential feedstock to produce SAF through fast pyrolysis process. A steady-state process simulation model was developed in Aspen Plus® and validated experimentally. The simulation model developed for SAF production comprises pyrolysis process, hydrotreating of bio-oil, fractionation of hydrotreated-oil, production of H 2 gas through Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, purification of aqueous stream, and combustion of char blocks. The process simulation model has produced 52.8 wt% bio-oil, 20.5 wt% char, and 10.8 wt% gases by using yield-based pyrolysis reactor at operating temperature of 500 °C. Experimental results have demonstrated 49.9 wt% bio-oil yield at 500 °C pyrolysis temperature and 1 s reactants residence time. The simulation model indicated 12.2 wt% SAF yield, and physiochemical properties of SAF were also found consistent with the ASTM D7566 standard. It was also indicated that around 0.07 kg of H 2 per kg of bio-oil is needed for hydro-processing reactions at 99.9 % purity of H 2 gas. The process simulation model also estimated that 36.3 MW of electrical power, 6.9 MW of external heating utility and 11.7 MW of external cooling utility were required to produce 0.12 kg of SAF per kg of feedstock. Overall, the research provides a platform to examine the development of SAF production process through the fast pyrolysis of demolition wood, followed by hydro-processing and fractionation. • Experimental and process simulation of SAF production from waste demolition wood. • Study includes pyrolysis, green H 2 , hydro processing, distillation. • Green H 2 produced via PEM electrolyzer and its need for hydrotreating of bio-oil. • Material balance, energy consumption and SAF properties compared with ASTM D7566 .